You’ve been accepted into a university: here’s what to do next!

So you got a letter today … and the wonderful news is that it’s from a school that has accepted you as a student! Whether it’s the school of your dreams or just one of many schools you have applied for, the fact of the matter is that you officially have some work to do!

Once you’ve been accepted, here’s what to do next:

Make a decision.

If you already know for a fact that you are going to accept your place at this university, you can feel free to skip ahead. Unfortunately though, not everyone will hit the jackpot right off the bat.

If for whatever reason you are not quite sure whether or not you should accept your place to study at this school, or if you aren’t sure anymore if you even want to study this degree program, here are a few tips on what you can do to help you make the decision of whether you should take the study place or not.

Sleep on it.

Getting a letter like this may make you feel that you need to react quickly to it, but it may be possible that some of the other universities that you have applied for could still be in the process of sending you an acceptance letter as well. If you have sent out more than one application, you can always take a little bit of time to wait and see if other universities respond to your application first.

You can also take this time to fully understand your emotions. It’s totally natural to feel many things after receiving an acceptance letter to a university. Take the time to really read into these emotions, and understand them from root to branch. For example, anyone can feel scared when reality hits them with a study place somewhere far away, especially if it is in another country. Anyone could be uncertain of the future when it moves from a simple daydream to the next level.

Get advice.

Sometimes it just takes the help of a 3rd party. Whether it’s a good friend, a family member or another student that has already studied at that school, advice can be the most helpful thing you could ever receive from another. It’s totally normal to seek out the advice of others, and healthy as well, since everyone is different and can bring new perspectives into the situation.

Here’s a fun tip: Have a look at what others have already said about the university via its’ profile on Study Advisory. We have about 12,000 universities on our platform, and we already have a few thousand university reviews for you look over!

When you choose, let them know!

Once your decision on which university you will take the acceptance from is final, it’s time to let your university know that you will be joining them shortly.

There are usually instructions provided by the school on how to proceed after you have decided to take the study place, so be sure to follow all of these instructions carefully. Chances are they will ask you to send a little more information about yourself or a few more documents, and possibly even a deposit on tuition, so make sure you send that all in on time.

Decline any acceptances you don’t want.

Just as it is very important for you to let a university know you will be attending, it is just as important for you to let any other universities know if you will not. If you already know that you do not want to take an acceptance from a university who has sent you an acceptance letter, get back to them and let them know that circumstances have changed. Many of these schools have wait lists, and declining your acceptance on time allows other students to start preparing themselves for their studies just as you are now, so be sure to pay it forward for their sake.

Don’t sweat any rejections if you have already been accepted!

It’s perfectly normal if you have sent out a lot of applications to universities that you may get a rejection or two from time to time. Simply don’t sweat it, especially if you have already been accepted to another school.

Focus instead on your new and exciting future, and be confident that you have landed in the right place, regardless if it’s where you originally saw yourself or not. Remember there is always tomorrow, and if you still feel the need to apply again next year, nothing is standing in your way.

Start gathering all the things you’ll need.

Now that you have been accepted, you will need a few things to help you carry out your studies. Some of the most popular items are electronics, such as a computer of your own with all the necessary software for your independent studies, cameras to document your amazing free time memories, flash drives or external hard drives to store and carry around your digital work, or tablets and e-readers so you won’t have to carry around those heavy books all the time!

Speaking of books, it’s a good idea to check which ones you might need to purchase for your studies. Not all universities have enough copies of these in their library to go around, so get these in advance in case they become hard to find later on.

Knowing what you need in advance can help you plan how to finance these materials. Many of you are about to graduate high school; why not make a wish list for gifts you could use in your future student life?

Ask questions.

You may need to ask the university staff directly a few questions after being accepted. Try to gather up as many of these questions as you can on one list before you send them over, as it makes it a whole lot easier for the staff to answer one email or phone call as opposed to a string of many.

Don’t be afraid to ask absolutely anything! Rest assured, they probably have heard it all, and they are there to help you in every way they can. If they can’t help you directly, they will certainly send you in the right direction to someone who could.

Be honest with the staff. No matter what your situation is, you have already been accepted, so you can let down your defences and be totally honest with the staff about your situation.

Not sure where to live, how to get around, how to fund your studies, if you need health insurance? It really doesn’t matter what you think your shortcomings are or what you are curious about, honesty will always get you where you need to go when it comes to communicating with your university staff.

Go to the campus ahead of time.

Feel free to visit the campus in advance to your first day. Familiarising yourself with your surroundings and with how to get there and back will only help you in the future. Knowing the area well in advance will boost your confidence on the first day, which will help loads when the nervousness and excitement kicks in (trust us, it always does!).

Secure your finances.

If you are currently wondering how you will fund your studies, you are not alone. Luckily, thousands of students worldwide have already faced this obstacle and succeeded, and you will too!

If it isn’t too late, look for a summer or part time job. Saving up as much cash as you can while you still have the time to work is a great way to give yourself some peace of mind to focus on your studies.

Look into available scholarships, grants and loans. Fill out as many applications as you can! Every little bit will go a long way as it adds up, and there are literally hundreds of thousands of options out there for those who take the time to look for them.

Try to be creative! Use online tools like GoFundMe to pitch your educational journey to the world. Who knows, someone may be inspired by your story and contribute to your cause!

If you are going to be studying abroad:

If you have been accepted to a school abroad, don’t panic: We know this news is as equally exciting as it is terrifying, as all of our staff has been there at some point in our own lives. One thing we can promise you is that it is ALWAYS worth it!

Start to understand the culture

Learning as much as you can about the country you are about to call home will help you progress at a very fast rate. Read about the local language, the culture, the food, the way the locals live and study there, and how they get around.

Watch videos, look for blogs, and leave no corner of the Internet untouched on your path to discovery. Remember to keep and open mind and to take in the good with the bad, and understand that not everything will be perfect. This experience will be challenging, but it will also develop you into a global citizen, making you a prime candidate for any international job openings in your field.

If there is anyone around that is originally from the country where you are going to study, trying taking some time to hang out with them and hear about the way of life from a locals’ perspective.

Do you need a visa?

Chances are you do. Typically, the university staff will be able to help you to a certain extent with visas or other permits that you may need while you study abroad. It still doesn’t hurt to take a look into it anyway on your own, that way you’ll know what you’re in for.

Handling these kinds of things independently will only help you in the long run as well, as visas typically need to be renewed several times during your studies. Remember, the university staff have to handle these situations for hundreds of other students too other than just yourself, so if you can take care of it on your own, that leaves no room for mistakes or delays!

Enjoy your success!

Now that you have been accepted, you are on the fast track to an exciting career. Go out and celebrate your success with your family and friends, and remember to enjoy the journey!